Curriculum Units by Fellows of the Yale-New Haven Teachers Institute 1990 Volume III: The U.S. National Parks Movement Presidents in the Parks Curriculum Unit 90.03.07 by Joyce A. Patton National parks, memorials, monuments, and sites across the United States have been dedicated to former Presidents who have made important contributions to our country’s history. In this way future generations are provided with information surrounding these areas and these great men who have helped in creating history. In studying these sites we will take an exciting adventure from the east coast to the west coast, discovering cities and states which contain national parks, memorials, monuments, and sites. One of the most famous sites honoring presidents is Mount Rushmore National Memorial located in the hills of South Dakota. The faces of four of our nation’s greatest presidents have been carved in the granite hills near Keystone, South Dakota. These figures symbolize the birth and trials of the first 150 years of the United States. Individually they represent the ideals of the nation. George Washington signifies the struggle for independence and the birth of the Republic, Thomas Jefferson the idea of representative government, Abraham Lincoln the permanent union of the United States and equality for all citizens, and Theodore Roosevelt the 20th-century role of the United States in world affairs. Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a Shrine of Democracy. Sixty million years ago this land was in turmoil. Hills and mountains were being thrust up and gradually eroded. On the nearly indestructible granite face of one of these peaks, Mount Rushmore, the heads of four American Presidents have been carved in bold relief. The Memorial idea came about in 1923. Doane Robinson, the South Dakota State historian, conceived the idea of carving colossal statues of romantic western heroes such as Jim Bridger, John Colter, and Kit Carson on the granite formations known as the Needles in the Black Hills. The proposal had only moderate public acceptance, and at times criticism of the project was severe. But Robinson was able to gain the influential support of South Dakota Senator Peter Norbeck and Representative William Williamson. Slowly public opinion changed, the memorial was authorized, and some funds were obtained to begin work. Robinson invited the sculptor Gutzon Borglum to the Black Hills in the autumn of 1924 to study the proposal. John Gutzon de la Mothe Borglum was born in St. Charles, Idaho, on March 25, 1867. He began painting at an early age, and in his twenties sales of his work enabled him to study art in France for several years. It was there, in 1890, that he began to sculpt. His final paintings were completed in 1903, and from that time on he worked only as a sculptor. His fame grew, as did the size of his work. In 1915 he was asked by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to carve the head of General Robert E. Lee on Stone Mountain in Georgia. Work did not begin until 1923 but some demands made by Borglum soon led to his dismissal. The invitation to the Black Hills presented him with an opportunity to create a monument whose dimensions would be determined Curriculum Unit 90.03.07 1 of 12 by the importance to civilization of the events commemorated. For this purpose a location other than the Needles was needed. After much searching Borglum selected Mount Rushmore because of its smooth granite, its 5,725-foot height dominated the surrounding terrain, and it faced the sun most of the day. Work began August 10, 1927, the same day President Coolidge officially dedicated Mount Rushmore as a National Memorial. Fourteen years were needed to bring the sculpture to its present appearance, but because of delays by lack of funds and bad weather only six and a half years were actually spent carving. In the early years private donations supported the project, but when more funds were required the Federal Government assumed full financial responsibility. Federal appropriation accounted for $836,000 of the $990,000 spent on the memorial between 1927 and 1941. In March of the latter year Borglum died. His son Lincoln continued the project until funds ran out later that year. Lincoln had worked very closely with his father on the monument. Since funding ran out no additional work has been done. Mount Rushmore honors four of our nation’s greatest presidents. However these presidents have also been honored with other national memorials, monuments and sites. Not only these Presidents but several others have also been honored with national historic memorials, monuments and sites. Besides the before mentioned Presidents these Presidents: John Adams, John Q. Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses S. Grant, James A. Garfield, William H. Taft, Herbert C. Hoover, Harry Truman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson and Jimmy Carter have been honored either by national historic monuments, memorials, and/or sites. In order to give you a clear and concise historical view of these great men and their honorariums, they will be listed in the order in which they held the Office of President beginning with George Washington. George Washington was our nation’s first president born on February 22, 1732 in Pope’s Creek, Westmoreland County, Virginia. He was a member of the Federalist party and served as president from April 30, 1789 to March 3, 1797. The important events while he held office are as follows: Department of Foreign Affairs (State Department), Department of War, Treasury Department, Post Office Department, and Office of the Attorney General established in 1789. First session of U. S. Supreme Court (1790), First U.S. census authorized (1790), District of Columbia established (1791), Vermont admitted as the 14th state (1791), First ten amendments to the Constitution-the Bill of Rights ratified (1791), Kentucky admitted as the l5th state (1792), Cornerstone of the White House laid (1792), Cornerstone of the Capitol laid (1793), Eli Whitney patented the cotton gin (1794), Tennessee admitted as the l6th state (1796). George Washington Birthplace National Monument is the birthplace of the first U. S. President. The park includes a memorial mansion and gardens, and the tombs of his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather established January 23, 1930. Washington Monument is a dominating feature of the Nation’s Capital. This 555- foot obelisk honors the country’s first President, George Washington. The architect-designer was Robert Mills. Authorized January 31, 1848. George Washington Memorial parkway is a landscaped riverfront parkway linking many landmarks in the life of George Washington. In connects Mount Vernon and Great Falls on the Virginia side of the Potomac and Great Falls with Chain Bridge on the Maryland side. Act providing for acquisition of land, establishment, and development of the parkway May 29, 1930. Fort Washington Park is across the Potomac from Mount Vernon built to protect Washington, D.C. Construction was begun in 1814 to replace the 1809 fort destroyed by the British. The park has recreational facilities. John Adams was our nation’s second president born on October 30, 1735, in Braintree Massachusetts. He was a member of the Federalist party and served as president from March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1801. The important events while he held office are as follows: First naval vessel, United States, launched in Philadelphia Curriculum Unit 90.03.07 2 of 12 (1797), Mississippi Territory created (1798), Navy Department created (1798), Marine Corps created (1798), Library of Congress established (1800), Capital moved to Washington, D.C. (1800). Adams National Historic Site was the home of Presidents John Adams and John Quincy Adams, of the U. S. Minister to Great Britian Charles Francis Adams, and of the writers and historians Henry Adams and Brooks Adams. The park also includes the birthplaces of the two presidents and the United First Parish Church. Designated as Adams Mansion National Historic Site December 9, 1946; changed to Adams National Historic Site November 26, 1952. Thomas Jefferson was our nation’s third president born on April 13, 1743, in Shadwell, Virginia. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican party and served as president from March 4, 1801 to March 3, 1809. The important events while he held office are as follows: U. S. Military Academy authorized (1802), Ohio admitted as 17th state (1803), Louisiana Purchase treaty signed (1803), Lewis and Clark left St. Louis on their expedition to the Pacific (1803), Robert Fulton’s steamboat, the Clermont, made trip on Hudson River in New York (1807), Illinois Territory established (1809). The Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a circular, colonnaded structure in the classic style introduced in this country by Jefferson, memorializes the author of the Declaration of Independence and President from 1801 to 1809. The interior walls present inscriptions from his writings. The heroic statue was sculpted by Rudulph Evans; architects were John Russell Pope and associates, Otto Eggers and Daniel Higgins. The site was authorized June 26, 1934. Jefferson National Expansion Memorial park on St. Louis, Mississippi riverfront memorializes Thomas Jefferson and others who directed territorial expansion of the United States. Eeero Saarinen’s prize-winning, stainless steel gateway arch commemorates westward pioneers. Visitors may ascend the 630-foot-high arch. In the nearby courthouse Dred Scott sued for freedom in the historic slavery case. The site was designated December 20, 1935, and authorized May 17, 1954. John Quincy Adams was our nation’s sixth president born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree, Massachusetts. He was a member of the Democratic-Republican party and served as president from March 4, 1825 to March 3, 1829. The important events while he held office are as follows: Erie Canal opened for traffic (1825), Construction began on Baltimore and Ohio railroad (1828).